Shabab claim first win in Gulf clubs handball

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s Al Shabab won their first game yesterday in the 40th Gulf Clubs Handball Championship, currently being played in Doha.

Shabab roared back from a half-time deficit to defeat Mleeha of the UAE 38-36 in a tightly contested affair.

Shabab trailed by four goals, 17-21, heading into the break, but did well to fight back over the remaining 30 minutes.

Bahrain national team player Mohammed Hameed was later named the Player of the Match, and he received an award for his excellence.

The result earned Shabab their first win in Group B of the tournament’s preliminary round. It followed their opening-game loss to Al Rayyan of Qatar.

Also in their pool are Al Kuwait SC of Kuwait, whom they face tomorrow at 6pm.

Shabab are joined in the competition by fellow-Bahraini outfit Al Dair, who are competing in Group A of this stage.

Dair have so far won both their games at the Qatari capital, first taking down Burgan SC of Kuwait and then eking past Oman SC of Oman in their second fixture.

Dair return to action this evening when they complete their campaign in the preliminaries against Al Arabi of Qatar at 6pm.

Dair and Shabab are hoping to improve on the silver-medal finish of Bahrain's Al Najma Club in last year's tournament, held in the Kingdom.